NSA employee indicted for transmission and retention of defense information
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal huge jury has returned an indictment charging Keep Robert Unkenholz, age 60, of Hanover, Maryland, for willful transmission and retention of National Protection Files (NDI). The indictment was as soon as returned on March 29, 2022 and unsealed at the present time upon the arrest of the defendant.
Unkenholz is anticipated to salvage initial study 3: 00 p.m. at the present time in U.S. District Court docket in Baltimore, earlier than Chief U.S. Magistrate Think Beth P. Gesner.
The indictment was as soon as presented by United States Prison knowledgeable for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Prison knowledgeable Standard Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Division’s Nationals Security Division; and Special Agent in Cost Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Self-discipline Sing of job.
As an employee of the National Security Agency (NSA), Unkenholz held a TOP SECRET/SCI clearance and had factual gain entry to to classified information pertaining to to the national defense that was as soon as carefully held by the federal government (“National Protection Files” or “NDI”).
As detailed in the indictment, national security information is classed as “TOP SECRET,” “SECRET,” or “CONFIDENTIAL.” Ideal folks with the explicit security clearance can salvage authorized gain entry to to such classified national security information. All classified information can easiest be kept in an authorized facility and container.
Based mostly on the 26-depend indictment, on thirteen times between February 14, 2018 and June 1, 2020, Unkenholz, lawfully having possession of, gain entry to to, and preserve a watch on over NDI, which he had motive to judge will doubtless be frail to the injure of the United States or to the good thing about any foreign nation, willfully transmitted that information to one more one who was as soon as not entitled to receive it. The indictment alleges that the ideas Unkenholz transmitted was as soon as classified at the SECRET and TOP SECRET/SCI phases and that Unkenholz transmitted the classified information the usage of his non-public e-mail take care of to the several person’s non-public company e-mail addresses. The person receiving the ideas held a TOP SECRET/SCI clearance from April 2016 except roughly June 2019, whereas employed at an organization referred to in the indictment as “Company 1.” From July 2019 except roughly January 2021, the person worked for an organization referred to in the indictment as “Company 2” and was as soon as not authorized to gain entry to or receive classified information
The indictment alleges that Unkenholz’s non-public e-mail take care of, and the corporate e-mail addresses of the person receiving the ideas weren’t authorized storage areas for classified NDI. Unkenholz allegedly retained the classified NDI inside of his non-public e-mail take care of.
If convicted, Unkenholz faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal detention heart for each of the 13 counts of willful transmission of NDI and for each of the 13 counts of willful retention of NDI. Right sentences for federal crimes are in most cases less than the utmost penalties. A federal district court mediate will settle any sentence after taking into consideration the U.S. Sentencing Pointers and different statutory factors.
An indictment isn’t very a finding of guilt. A person charged by indictment is presumed innocent except and except proven guilty at some later prison lawsuits.
United States Prison knowledgeable Erek L. Barron and Assistant Prison knowledgeable Standard Matthew G. Olsen counseled the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Mr. Olsen thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and P. Michael Cunningham and Trial Prison knowledgeable S. Derek Shugert of the of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Part, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Prison knowledgeable’s Sing of job, its priorities, and resources accessible to abet the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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